Speech: Liberals include “poison pill” in crime bill

June 4, 2026

While there are some good elements of Bill C-16, the Liberals have inserted a “poison pill” that continues their soft-on-crime agenda. It would empower judges to ignore literally every mandatory prison sentence in the Criminal Code other than for murder and treason.

The Liberals want judges to ignore mandatory sentences for things like aggravated sexual assault with a gun, human trafficking, multiple violent firearm offences, extortion with a firearm, weapons trafficking, and drive-by shootings with a restricted or prohibited firearm.

C-16 continues to erode Canadians’ safety, putting criminals’ rights ahead of victims’ rights.